Frenkel & Frenkel Blog in Dallas, Texas

Lawsuit Filed By Man Trapped in Cook County Jail

A man who spent more than 30 hours trapped in an eight-by-eight foot room in the Cook County Jail has filed a lawsuit against the county. No dollar amount is specified in the suit, but attorneys are asking for compensation for physical, emotional and psychological injuries. Incident Details Farad Polk of Chicago went to visit his son, who was incarcerated at the Cook County Jail, on July 5. Mr. Polk was allowed to enter a room that he believed was a waiting area, but was actually designated for super-maximum-security prisoners. The room was unoccupied and contractors had been working in the room earlier. The room had no bedding or toilet, and there were no working cameras or communication devices installed. Mr. Polk said he heard guards talking outside the door, yet there was no response when he began kicking and hitting the door, nor when he yelled underneath. Mr. Polk injured his left thumb reaching for a sprinkler on the ceiling, attempting to activate it. The activation of the sprinkler is what led officials to find him, according to the lawsuit. When he was discovered, Mr. Polk was initially handcuffed and questioned. No Food or Water During his entrapment, Mr. Polk said he had no food or water. He was forced to defecate in the cell, as there were no toilet facilities available. Mr. Polk, who visited his son weekly, said that during his time in the cell, he wondered if he would ever see his grandchildren again and that he spent the time praying or attempting to sleep on the concrete floor. The lawsuit says that Mr. Polk constantly relives the feelings he had being trapped in the room and that he lost track of time because there was no way to tell how much time had passed. The 51-year-old grandfather said that he tries to keep busy because if he has any “down time, it just keeps coming.” He says that although it was only 30 hours, it felt like 300 to him. Cook County Response Cara Smith, director of the Cook County Jail was not surprised at the filing of the lawsuit, contending that the jail remains sorry for what happened to Mr. Polk. The jail is focusing on making sure something similar does not happen to another visitor by examining and reinforcing the visitor process throughout the compound. Mr. Polk’s lawyers contend that officials at the jail acted wantonly and willfully by allowing the incident to occur. When wanton and willful actions are suspected as the cause or contributing factor in an incident that causes injury, whether physical or mental, a lawsuit may be in order. Contact Dallas-Fort Worth lawyers at Frenkel & Frenkel to schedule a free initial consultation regarding injuries that may have been caused or worsened by someone else’s negligence to learn what rights you may have under the law.